Means for collecting a dog&#39;s excrement by the dog&#39;s owner or walker

ABSTRACT

A paperboard scoop folded along indented lines from a flat form into a container to scoop up a dog&#39;&#39;s excrement by a dog-walker. The hand of the user is given sanitary protection by a flap-guard and the hand is held to the scoop in order to manipulate it by rubber hands.

United States Patent Doherty 1 1 Aug. 22, 1972 541 MEANS FOR COLLECTING A DOG'S 3,052,214 9/1962 Johnson l5/257.6 x

EXCREMENT BY THE DOG'S OWNER 1,987,225

OR WALKER Inventor: Henry Doherty, 19B Byme Ct.,

Wayne, NJ. 07470 Filed: March 3, 1971 Appl. No.: 120,602

US. Cl. ..l5/257.6, 229/35, 294/] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Levinson; ..15/257.1 x

l/l935 Bergstein ..229/3.5 X

Primary Examiner-Leon G. Machlin Attorney-Philip H. Pohl 5 7] ABSTRACT A paperboard scoop folded along indented lines from a flat form into a container to scoop up a dog's excrement by a dog-walker. The hand of the user is given sanitary protection by a flap-guard and the hand is held to the scoop in order to manipulate it by rubber hands.

5 Clains, 3 Drawing Figures MEANS FOR COLLECTING A DOG 'S EXCREMENT BY THE DOGS OWNER OR WALKER This invention relates to a means of scooping up a dogs excrement and particularly to a Poop-Scoop for dogs which can be used by the human walker of a dog.

As more people in cities and towns own more dogs and walk them in the streets and parks, the problem of their defecation and the resulting unsanitary conditions has greatly increased. Both objectors and defenders of dogs as pets and protectors would welcome a solution to the problem.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an effective, yet simple, means of scooping up a dogs excrement for proper disposal by the dogs walker.

It is a further object of this invention to give sanitary protection to the hand of the user.

It is another object of this invention to make its cost so cheap that cost should be no reason for not employing it.

Briefly, this invention is a scoop for dogs excrement which can be carried by a dog-walker and used to collect the dogs excrement with quick ease and with sanitary protection to the hand of the user. It is made of water disintegratable paperboard folded from a flat form into the shape of an enclosed scoop and in appearance similar to a book. It can be disposed of after use by being deposited in a sewer opening or in a garbage can. 1

It is intended that the scoop be marketed in a fiat form, provided with indented lines as guides and means of folding into a scooping shape before use. Thus, two dozen or more could be sold at retail in a single, compact package.

It is also intended that, in order to render the scoop attractive in appearance, it be printed as a book cover on its exterior side in use. Directions for its folding and use are to be printed on its interior side. It is also intended that it be decidedly pine-scented to dominate any other odor.

The scoop can be manufactured in more than one size. However, an adequate size for general purpose measures 6 inches wide by 4 inches deep and 2 inches high at its rear tapering to 1% inches at its front.

In order to facilitate a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate several embodiments of the invention diagrammatically by way of example, and with illustrative rather than any limitative intent.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a drawing of the scoop in the flat, unfolded form, scaled to one-half size.

FIG. 2 is a drawing of the scoop viewed from an angle below in a position of use.

FIG. 3 is a drawing of the scoop viewed from an angle above in a position of use.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like elements are denoted by identical reference numerals, and first to FIG. 1, the scoop has three folding lines well-indented, or scored, so that the folds along these lines can be pressed to stay fixed at right angles. The flaps created by these folds are the side enclosures and the single front enclosure of the scoop.

Two remaining folding lines 11 in FIG. I are also indented for easy folding to create the hinges for the scoop when in use and the scoops 2-inch back wall which fits into the palm of the hand between the thumb and the other four fingers.

Two adhesive, clear plastic strips 12 are attached each to a front end of a side enclosure, as shown in FIG. 1, to be used after folding to hold the side flap enclosures together with the front flap enclosure. The adhesive plastic strips are each attached one inch to the flat form and have a covering one inch to be peeled off before attaching to the folded front enclosure.

As shown in FIG. 2, on the exterior of the scoop and on that side to be used as the bottom, a double thickness of the paperboard 13, providing extra strength along the scooping edge, extends from the scooping edge of the scoop 1% inches to the rear where an indented line 14 is located across the bottom. A flap 15 is created by separation of the double thickness along this line and by folding the unattached extension away from the bottom. This flap, which is 1% inches wide, serves as a guard to keep the fingers from touching the ground or being soiled when scooping excrement. An elastic band 16, stapled to the scoop behind the guard, holds one or two fingers firmly to the scoop to aid in opening and otherwise manipulating it.

How the scoop is held by hand in an open scooping position is shown in FIG. 3. The thumb fits beneath an elastic band 17 stapled to the top, exterior side of the scoop enabling the thumb to aid in opening and otherwise manipulating the scoop. By compression of the hand the side and front flaps will close together with the top and bottom to shut the scoop, thus making a box-like enclosure.

I claim:

1. A water disintegratable paperboard scoop for collecting a dogs excrement, said scoop being folded from a flat paperboard form along prepared indented lines to form an enclosed container, having an opposing top and bottom, said scoop having two elastic bands attached one each on the, exterior of said top and bottom, said elastic bands being adapted to hold thumb and fingers of one hand firmly against said top and bottom exteriors whereby the one hand they can open and otherwise manipulate the scoop.

2. The scoop of claim 1 wherein said elastic bands are attached to said top and bottom exteriors by staples.

3. The scoop of claim 1 wherein the scoop additionally comprises a flap transversely mounted on said bottom exterior in front of the elastic band on said bottom exterior, whereby the flap serves as a guard keep the fingers from being soiled.

4. The scoop of claim 3 which additionally comprises an extra layer of paperboard attached to said bottom exterior in front of said flap, whereby added strength is provided for said bottom exterior.

5. The scoop of claim 4 wherein said scoop is a boxlike container comprising two side enclosures connecting said top and bottom parallel to each other, a back wall connected to said top and bottom and said side en- 

1. A water disintegratable paperboard scoop for collecting a dog''s excrement, said scoop being folded from a flat paperboard form along prepared indented lines to form an enclosed container, having an opposing top and bottom, said scoop having two elastic bands attached one each on the exterior of said top and bottom, said elastic bands being adapted to hold thumb and fingers of one hand firmly against said top and bottom exteriors whereby the one hand they can open and otherwise manipulate the scoop.
 2. The scoop of claim 1 wherein said elastic bands are attached to said top and bottom exteriors by staples.
 3. The scoop of claim 1 wherein the scoop additionally comprises a flap transversely mounted on said bottom exterior in front of the elastic band on said bottom exterior, whereby the flap serves as a guard keep the fingers from being soiled.
 4. The scoop of claim 3 which additionally comprises an extra layer of paperboard attached to said bottom exterior in front of said flap, whereby added strength is provided for said bottom exterior.
 5. The scoop of claim 4 wherein said scoop is a box-like container comprising two side enclosures connecting said top and bottom parallel to each other, a back wall connected to said top and bottom and said side enclosures, a single front enclosure connected to the top, and two adhesive strips, one each of said strips being attached to each side enclosure and adapted to adhere to said front enclosure when said scoop is folded into the box-like container. 